Aspiration to the Heavens: Becoming the Supreme Mage Vol 2- Descent of Darkness

Episode 38: Dive into Darkness

*Third POV*

Wanikiya opened his eyes and saw that he was descending into darkness. The only light he could make it came from above, cyan light, the same color as the Great Gracier's prana as well as his own.

Am I dead? Is this how it ends? I never had a chance to make much of myself... though perhaps this is what I deserve, for allowing my best friend to get swallowed into darkness. No, this isn't death. Instead I'm being swallowed. Lei, soon we won't be too different. I hope that you won't fall to darkness again.

The Wahkanian prince closed his eyes again.

Sorry little brother, seems like we won't be able to play like I had promised. Sorry Zelde, Nahimana, for failing to control my spirit.

"Wanikiya!" a voice called out.

The prince's eyes shot wide open. The voice kept calling out to him in despair. He reached out toward the increasingly distant light. It pulsated, dimming then brightening before repeating the cycle.

"Fight it!" the voice cried. "Don't give in!"

He let out a grunt and used all of his will power to propel his body across the thick, watery substance. His arms cut through the gelatin-like liquid, pushing him higher and higher, causing the light to come closer too, as if it were but a reflection of him.

Suddenly he felt something warm behind him and the strange sea dissolved. He found himself staring at the start of the first trail up the mountain.

"Calm down, Wanikiya," a voice called out. He turned around and saw Nahimana embracing him tightly. Shadows danced around her.

"Nahimana. Why are you here? Weren't you going with Tahoma someplace?" he asked, startled. He gasped as he noticed the chunks of ice around her arms and legs.

Nahimana winced. "I was on my way there, but then I felt a powerful aura radiating from here so I came as fast as I could." Her shadows danced around the two. "Let's get out of here, before this aura devours both of us."

The shadows completely cocooned them. Once they faded, they were no longer at the base of the mountain, rather they were in the beach.

"Nahimana? Wanikiya?" Hikaru said, gazing back. The brunette was kneeled on a white as snow sand dune, his clothes completely drenched in sweat. "You're covered in ice."

Dark tendrils broke through the ice around Nahimana's hands and feet. "I'll be fine. Do not worry."

Yen who was coming at him with an invisible sword stopped her attack at the last moment. "What happened to the meeting and the hike?" she questioned.

Nahimana took a deep breath, the air was so much crisper than at the mountain. "I simply came to help Master Wanikiya. You two didn't feel it?"

Hikaru put a hand against his chin and tilted his head at her. "Hmm. Ahh!" He nodded. "Yeah, actually. For a brief moment there was a spike of energy radiating from Mt. Ankatu. So, the cause was connected to you, Wani?"

The Wahkanian prince averted his eyes. "Yes, I, I couldn't control my power. I tried to ascend the mountain to be able to gain some dominance over it, but simply taking one step caused it to instead take me over."

Hikaru crawled over to him and put a hand on the ice. "This ice, it won't melt..."

"Hmm?" Nahimana said, tilting her head at him. "Are you accelerating the ice's decomposition?"

"Yes, but it doesn't seem to be working."

Nahimana stared at her hands which were shivering. In fact, her entire being was shaking. "It won't work. This ice can't be melted by the sun so no matter how much time you add to the ice's age, it won't change its size. Normal flames are likewise useless."